Art

To make good art is to stir up not only a sense of awe, but it is to accomplish an expression of beauty that also contains a message. Art can be inspiring; it can be mesmerizing; it can be disturbing; but most importantly, it can be bewildering. Some artists focus their attention on one of these factors, eliminating the others, subconsciously or otherwise, in their process.

Where do the worlds of fine art and tattoo art meet, if at all? Is it in the art itself, or in the artist who creates it? What came first, the chicken or the tree falling in the forest? Apparently, having some experts clarify things wouldn’t hurt. Two artists, Krista Bursey and Joel Conroy, talk to Karyn Gray about their art, both fine and tattoo, and whether there’s really a line dividing them.

Vancouver local and New York trained, Jeff Martin, makes beautiful things. Beautiful things we want. Badly. They may have a hefty price tag (our favourite, his custom wooden stool goes for $525 and is one of the more reasonable items) but his masterpieces in furniture design and millwork are worth your hard earned buck and will last a veritable lifetime.

RAW:natural born artists, an independent arts organization, has swept across the US and Australia and is making its Canadian debut this summer in Vancouver and Montreal. This international organization showcases independent artists from the world of film, fashion, hair and makeup, music, photography, art, accessories and performance. RAW’s mission is to provide artists with the tools and exposure to help them grow and create.

Some of the world’s greatest works of art were commissioned and acquired by the Catholic Church, and to this day the Vatican still has large amounts of work in their vaults. Murals from the 1400s, masterpieces like the Sistine Chapel, were meant to spread the word of God. Although the Church may have lost its influence, along with many of its followers, over the last few decades, it is clear that using art to tell a story was used to it's fullest potential by the Church, and that Gawd still works in mysterious ways.

Celebrating the unique creative expressions of visual and performing artists who identify as part of the queer communities, the Queer Arts Festival in Vancouver is an annual artist-run showcase of queer arts, culture and history.

Artist Kirsten McCrea has been described as “the kind of person you would want to hang out with all day and try your best just to keep up with her.” We like the sound of that, so we asked Melissa Proietti to do just that.

Karyn Gray finds out she has a lot to learn when it comes to Montreal art scene legend Gene Pendon, known for live art installations and working with musicians, producers, filmmakers and art-minded street brands. Find out what she learned when talking to others, and the inspiring man himself.

The location may not scream cutting edge in urban cool, but the Burnaby Art Gallery’s Outreach Exhibitions beg to differ. Showcasing artwork from artists all across the nation, there are three off-site exhibitions taking place across Vancouver until July 9.

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Thank you for an awesome interview! It was very good and absolutely needed. I've missed The Radio Dept. I remembering standing a bit up from the scene where they were playing in Arvikafestivalen 2003, I was 18. Every Radio Dept song was like the best sex, most profound political stance and pride. I am from Karlstad, Sweden.